Can I leave and return to Spain without having my residence card with me?

I'm an Argentinian immigrant living in Spain. I have lost my residence card/TIE. I already started the process to get a new card but, in the meantime, can I leave the country (and return)?

I still have my passport with my visa. My residence/work visa is marked as multiple entries, and it's valid for enough time, but I have always been asked to show my residence card on reentry.

Best Answer

As a citizen of Argentine you are free to visit the Schengen area without a visa, since your country is on the Annex II list. You could therefore exit Spain and return without any issues. While the Spanish border guards might want to see your residency card, it's not really necessary for entry as they have access to the database of people with Spanish residency.

Source: being in the very same situation in the Czech Republic.